May 2, 2025
Bonobos are our closest living relatives, sharing 99% of our DNA. They live in female-led societies.
This feels like a learning opportunity to me.
What Bonobo behaviors might we reclaim for ourselves?
Trigger warning: female empowerment.
Leadership
Among Bonobos, leadership isn’t about being the loudest or the strongest.
Instead, it’s the ones who protect each other who rise to positions of influence.
This focus on care and mutual well-being is a powerful model for leadership.
United in Defense
A remarkable aspect of Bonobo society is their collective response to threats.
When a male threatens a female or her baby, the other females rise — together.
In unison, they protect each other, their young, and, by extension, their future.
This showcases an incredible commitment to communal safety and continuity.
Coalition Over Domination
The way Bonobos maintain balance and shape what comes next is through coalition, not domination.
This principle of working together, of forming alliances for the greater good, is how they ensure stability and guide the direction of their communities.
Conclusion
There’s a deep lesson here. For moms. For women. For anyone building something rooted in care. The Bonobo way underscores a fundamental truth: We were never meant to do it alone.
What communities have given you a coalition that helps you be stronger?
For me, organizations such as Chief, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Tory Burch Foundation, Moms First, MomsRising.org, and Chamber of Mothers — to name a few! — have provided such vital support and strength.
This article is Inspired by insights into Bonobo societies, such as those discussed in articles like the one found at The New York Times.